“That sword is not meant for the likes of you.”

The eerie glint in Mu-hwi’s violet eyes made Baekmyeon Gwaeno’s face contort into a grotesque expression, a mix of anger and twisted amusement. Despite the situation, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Mu-hwi locked eyes with Baekmyeon Gwaeno, reaching out with his left hand to grab the broken blade of the Hyuncheol Heavy Sword.

‘Yes, this is my sword.’

Even though it had been ages since he last held it, the sword felt as familiar as if it had never left his hand.

Vroom!

The Hyuncheol Heavy Sword hummed with a brief resonance, even without Mu-hwi channeling his inner energy into it. But he had no time to dwell on that.

With his right hand, Mu-hwi clenched his fist and brought it down like a hammer onto the blade of the Plum Blossom Sword.

Bang!

The Plum Blossom Sword, which had pierced through Baekmyeon Gwaeno’s palm, drove deeper into the ground. Simultaneously, Mu-hwi’s left hand, holding the Hyuncheol Heavy Sword, rose above his head.

Vroom!

The sword absorbed the energy of the Purple Mist Technique, turning a deep violet. A spectral blade extended from the broken sword, filling the gap.

Swish!

The energy blade, fully formed even in mid-air, slashed diagonally with precision.

Clang!

Baekmyeon Gwaeno extended his left hand to block the Hyuncheol Heavy Sword. The sound of metal clashing echoed from his palm as he deflected the attack.

Switching from palm techniques to claw techniques, Baekmyeon Gwaeno’s left hand scraped against the sword, trying to push it away.

“Heh heh!”

Sensing danger, Baekmyeon Gwaeno slammed his right hand, still impaled by the Plum Blossom Sword, into the ground.

Boom!

The force dislodged the sword, sending it flying, and with his tattered hand, he unleashed a bloody strike aimed at Mu-hwi’s chest.

Slash!

Mu-hwi countered with the Plum Blossom Mountain technique, dispersing Baekmyeon Gwaeno’s attack, but the force was overwhelming.

‘Ugh.’

The energy coursing through his veins deepened his internal injuries. Mu-hwi felt blood rising in his throat.

Yet, instead of focusing on defense, Mu-hwi poured his energy into the Hyuncheol Heavy Sword, pressing its blade against Baekmyeon Gwaeno’s neck.

Creak!

Baekmyeon Gwaeno’s left hand, struggling to hold back the sword, was slowly pushed back. The blade inched closer, chilling his throat.

“Ha ha ha!”

Baekmyeon Gwaeno laughed, thrilled by Mu-hwi’s willingness to risk everything, even death.

The two masters clashed, their muscles straining as they poured their energy into the contest of strength and skill.

Mu-hwi had the upper hand in physical strength, but Baekmyeon Gwaeno surpassed him in internal energy. Moreover, Mu-hwi was already drained from a previous battle with the Sword King.

“In this moment of life and death, this strange tug-of-war is quite entertaining. To think I never experienced such a thrill at my age. Ha ha ha!”

Baekmyeon Gwaeno spoke with a hint of leisure, but Mu-hwi couldn’t respond. Black blood dripped from his tightly closed lips.

‘This damned old monster!’

Facing two transcendent masters in succession was proving to be too much.

Nevertheless, Mu-hwi relentlessly attacked Baekmyeon Gwaeno, channeling his Purple Mist Technique with explosive force.

He reserved just enough energy to maintain the Plum Blossom Mountain technique, pouring everything else into the Hyuncheol Heavy Sword.

Thanks to his efforts, the gap between the sword and Baekmyeon Gwaeno’s neck had narrowed to a finger’s width.

At this point, Baekmyeon Gwaeno closed his eyes, focusing on disrupting Mu-hwi’s internal energy with his White Crane Palm technique. Blood streamed from Mu-hwi’s nose and mouth.

The two masters stood like statues, trembling as they vied for dominance.

As their struggle reached a stalemate, a breeze swept past them.

“If I were a man of the orthodox sects, I might have refrained from interfering out of respect for martial pride and honor.”

Dokgo Yul, who had been watching from a distance, appeared beside Baekmyeon Gwaeno, swinging his sword.

“My master was the greatest swordsman of the unorthodox sects. He would have done this.”

Without giving Baekmyeon Gwaeno a chance to react, Dokgo Yul swung his sword with all his might, unleashing a massive arc of energy.

“I am the disciple of those men.”

Swish!

Baekmyeon Gwaeno’s words were cut short.

His head flew into the air, severed by the clean strike. His body, drained of strength, slumped forward.

Mu-hwi, drenched in Baekmyeon Gwaeno’s blood, fell to one knee.

“Ugh.”

Using the Plum Blossom Sword for support, he managed to stay upright as Dokgo Yul rushed to his side.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. And well done.”

Mu-hwi smiled, and Dokgo Yul returned the gesture. Then, his gaze shifted to Baekmyeon Gwaeno’s headless body.

“For all the evil he committed, his end seems too anticlimactic.”

“In this world, is there any death that isn’t? For those who live by the sword, this is often how it ends.”

Mu-hwi was satisfied that Baekmyeon Gwaeno hadn’t escaped. If the old monster had fled, he might have slipped through their fingers.

Mu-hwi frowned at Baekmyeon Gwaeno’s severed head, still wearing that eerie smile.

“Damn old monster.”

Finally, he had vanquished the scheming Baekmyeon Gwaeno, who had played both sides between the Sword Saint and the Sword Demon in his past life.

‘Who would have thought I’d need my disciple’s help one day?’

As Mu-hwi stared, Dokgo Yul asked with a puzzled expression.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s nothing.”

Mu-hwi’s faint smile left Dokgo Yul scratching his head in confusion.

* * *

Clang!

Boom!

Swords clashed and winds howled as petals of sword energy fluttered through the air.

“Hyungak! Assist Murun and Muho.”

“Press harder on the Kun and Kan positions!”

The shouts of Hyunbaek and the elder of the Overlord Castle echoed through the cavern. The Plum Blossom Sword Formation spun like a furious top.

Around the formation, violet petals fell like rain.

The petals of sword energy seemed to protect the swordsmen within the formation, scattering to shield them.

Clang!

A warrior from the Four Kings Brigade deflected the descending petals, only to be met by two Plum Blossom Swords slicing toward his chest.

“Ugh!”

The formation’s endless transformations were bewildering, and the petals, like a swirling storm, restricted their movements.

The flower-shaped formation spun continuously, deflecting the attacks of the Four Kings Brigade and the Giant Dragon Brigade with the grace of a swaying blossom.

It was a formation as unpredictable as the Huashan Sect’s sword techniques. The Plum Blossom Sword Formation, with its ever-blooming petals, was a nightmare for its opponents.

‘The formation itself is exquisite. Who knew the Huashan Sect had such a technique?’

The elder of the Hidden Dragon Society watched the synchronized movements of the swordsmen, like cogs in a well-oiled machine.

No matter how advanced a formation was, it was useless if the warriors executing it were lacking.

He had initially scoffed at the presence of second-generation disciples among the first-generation ones.

Yet, these second-generation disciples held their ground against the relentless assault of the Four Kings Brigade and the Giant Dragon Brigade. They were far from the inexperienced novices he had assumed.

“And those young ones…”

The elder’s gaze shifted to the Huashan disciples.

Boom!

As Mucheol disrupted the Giant Dragon Brigade’s formation with his Iron Plum Sword technique, Mujin and Muhwa darted in from the sides, launching surprise attacks.

The elder clicked his tongue in frustration.

Not only were they holding their ground, but they were also cutting down the elite forces while maintaining the formation.

“Plum Blossom Swordsmen? Who are these people?”

The elder of the Overlord Castle muttered, and the elder of the Hidden Dragon Society crossed his arms.

“If word spreads that two elite forces couldn’t break an unknown formation of the Huashan Sect, it will be a disgrace.”

“Sigh. I had hoped to conserve strength for the Huashan Sword Demon, but this is a disaster.”

As the elders of the Overlord Castle and the Hidden Dragon Society prepared to join the fray, they halted at the sight of a figure beyond the stone gate.

“The Huashan Sword Demon!”

Mu-hwi’s appearance caused the Four Kings Brigade and the Giant Dragon Brigade to pause, even without orders from their elders.

A fierce aura swept over them, as if threatening to tear the space apart. The elders felt their skin prickle and their expressions hardened.

Mu-hwi’s robes were soaked in blood, but the elders couldn’t tell whose it was.

The aura he exuded was too formidable for someone supposedly injured.

Mu-hwi surveyed the ranks of the Sa Wang and Geo Ryong factions, along with the elders standing behind them. His eyes, glowing with a violet light, were so intense that no one dared to meet his gaze.

“Will you die, or will you retreat?”

His voice cut through the air like a blade, sharp and cold, as if the legendary Do San Sword Forest had descended upon them, laced with a deadly aura that felt like a dense, fiery presence.

The warriors, feeling the weight of his presence, slowly lowered their weapons, their resolve crumbling under the pressure.

‘This kind of intimidation…’

‘If we clash now, we’re doomed.’

The elders could feel the sweat trickling down their backs, a clear sign of their anxiety. They were grateful their hands were clasped behind them, hiding their trembling fingers.

The elders of the Pae Wang Fortress and the Jan Ryong Society exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

“We will withdraw.”

They knew that unless they could overpower the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, their chances of victory were slim. The reputation of the Volcanic Sword Demon, Mu-hwi, was already well-known across the martial world, and the elders had no intention of engaging in a futile battle.

As the Pae Wang Fortress and Jan Ryong Society retreated, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen relaxed their stances and turned their attention to Mu-hwi, who was bloodied but standing firm.

“What on earth happened here?”

Hyun-baek asked, examining Mu-hwi from head to toe. Mu-hwi glanced at the broken black iron sword in Dok-go Yul’s hands and replied, “It was the work of the White-Faced Demon.”

As Mu-hwi explained, the faces of Hyun-baek and the other Plum Blossom Swordsmen grew increasingly grim.

* * *

The Plum Blossom Swordsmen encountered no resistance as they descended the mountain, leaving the secret cave behind. It was eerily quiet, when normally, the area should have been swarming with people like wolves around prey.

Mu-hwi only understood the reason for this silence when they reached the tents set up by the Volcanic Sect at the base of the mountain.

As the Plum Blossom Swordsmen began to dismantle the tents, martial artists from various factions gathered under the banner of the Volcanic Sect. The crowd was immense, creating an atmosphere so charged it felt as if they were surrounded by an army.

The sheer number of martial artists was enough to heat the air with tension.

“What did you find in the cave?”

“Is it true that the Volcanic Sect has hoarded the cave’s treasures?”

For this moment, all the martial artists, except those from the Volcanic Sect, were united. The sheer number of their allies gave them a newfound confidence.

Their voices grew louder, emboldened by their numbers.

“You left the cave in such a hurry, clearly not intending to leave quietly.”

Hyun-baek glared at the elders of the Pae Wang Fortress and Jan Ryong Society, who were observing the situation from afar. It was obvious to him that they were the ones inciting the crowd.

“The honorable swordsmen of the Volcanic Sect would not lie. Tell us the truth!”

“Yes! We have a right to know.”

Cries erupted from all directions.

“Fellow martial artists, please calm down!”

Hyun-baek shouted, but his voice was easily drowned out by the cacophony of voices. There were too many skilled martial artists present, each capable of amplifying their voice with inner strength, turning the scene into a chaotic uproar.

The eyes of the shouting martial artists gleamed with greed and desire. Logic and reason had no place here.

Mu-hwi realized that this was not a situation that could be resolved with gentle words.

“Silence.”

One voice, powerful enough to swallow all others, resonated through the air. The very trees seemed to tremble, and it felt as if the mountain itself shivered.

Mu-hwi’s cold, echoing command silenced everyone present.

“This cave was the creation of the White-Faced Demon. All of you here have been played by his tricks.”

Mu-hwi gestured to the broken black iron sword as he continued.

“What we gained was the White-Faced Demon’s head and this broken sword. What exactly do you expect from the Volcanic Sect?”

“But just now, the Pae Wang Fortress said—”

The middle-aged man who spoke stopped mid-sentence. Mu-hwi had suddenly extended his hand toward an empty space to his right.

In the direction Mu-hwi pointed, the banner of the Volcanic Sect fluttered.

With a loud snap, the banner shifted direction, as if caught in a strong wind, and the pole quivered as it leaned toward Mu-hwi’s hand.

Then, the pole, seemingly uprooted by itself, flew through the air and landed in Mu-hwi’s grasp.

Thud!

Mu-hwi planted the pole firmly in front of him. The martial artists stared in shock at the banner and Mu-hwi.

“Telekinesis!”

“That banner must weigh a lot, and he moved it so easily?”

“Could it be? Has the Volcanic Sword Demon reached the transcendent realm?”

Telekinesis, the art of moving objects with inner strength alone, was known to consume immense energy depending on the object’s weight and distance. It was a skill only those who had reached the transcendent realm, capable of directly communicating with the natural forces, could perform.

Even the elders of the Pae Wang Fortress and Jan Ryong Society were left speechless, their mouths agape.

“I have no intention of persuading or placating each of you. In the martial world, if words fail, we settle matters with strength.”

Mu-hwi, gripping the banner pole firmly, addressed the crowd with a commanding voice.

“As the leader of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, I will accept any challenge under the banner of the Volcanic Sect.”

With Mu-hwi’s declaration, silence fell over the mountain. No one dared to step forward and challenge the authority he exuded.

Only the two characters for “Volcanic Mountain” embroidered on the red banner continued to flutter boldly in the wind.